February 2009 Archives

Paul Campbell has a new movie opening in limited release today called Play the Game and co-stars Andy Griffth, Doris Roberts & Liz Sheridan.

PopStar interviewed Deanna Russo and finds out more about what she's been up to with her time off, and that includes working her improv chops with the Groundlings and UCB. Read it here, it's a great compliment to our interview last week - lots of good stuff throughout.

David Hasselhoff was seen in London last week for the Brit Awards, he appeared on Loose Women [davidNet]

Just a reminder if you haven't already to help get Knight Rider a Second Season - visit our campaign page for ways you can help.

We've signed up on twitter! Follow kronline and you'll be kept up to date on all things Kngiht Rider

We were alerted to this two amazing images (one, two) on deviantART by rebekahann which were early concepts for an online Knight Rider comic. While NBC decided to take a pass - we hope someone else sees this artwork and sees the potential for a comic series! It is a real shame because the art is really top notch. [thanks trissybabes]

Due to President Obama's speech, NBC has decided to air Biggest Loser in Knight Rider's spot this week. This means that the season ender I Love The Knight Life will air next Wednesday, March 4th at it's regularly scheduled time.

We've found these two images over the weeks on the Knight Writers blogs and have yet to see them in an episode which leads us to believe they are previews for this one.

It's interesting to note that this episode was originally intended to air 13th, but in the wake of the reduced season it was pushed to episode 17, the finale in the season. Originally when this incarnation of Knight Rider was only approved for 13 episodes, Gary Scott Thompson envisioned 13 as being able to serve the purpose of being an ending episode which it seems it has become.

Car owners looking to participate can still do so (but now at a cost of $45) via the registration page. Doing so gets you a pass to the exclusive VIP party on Friday night. You have until March 10th.

In proper Las Vegas style they will be doing a drive thru wedding in KITT! "Friends, Knight Rider Festival is excited to announce KITT will take part in a true Las Vegas Style Drive Thru Wedding on Friday, March 20, 2009. A very lucky couple will exchange vows in KITT as the go thru the Little White Chapel. A true Vegas first...the media will be on hand to capture this moment with the King of Rock & Roll on hand....'only in Las Vegas."

We are still collecting donations on behalf of the Festival for the Children's Miracle Network. Remember that this is a free event looking to raise funds for the charity and personifying that we can make a difference. If you can't make it there you can still help by making a donation, any amount is greatly appreciated!

And here is the official PR release with a photo of Paul Casey (the festivals creator) and the Mayor of Las Vegas

KNIGHT RIDER FESTIVAL
March 20-21, 2009
Fremont Street, Las Vegas, NV

"One man can make a difference"

For Immediate Release: KNIGHT RIDER FESTIVAL pays homage to original television and it revolutionary car of the future "KITT", the original TV series & New 2008 NBC Show that began in Fall 2008.

The event will have attendees and fans from No. & So. America, Japan and Europe. Highlights include a raft of celebrity appearances, LV Strip 'Cruise' with KITT, TV Cars display, Cars of the Future Car Show, Entertainment, Drawings, Giveaway and Promotions, Stunt Show, and a special recognition of David Hasselhoff, Glen A. Larson, George Barris, Justin Bruening and other dignitaries.

KITT Car owners and fans will take part in raising money for the Children's Miracle Network.

International media will be present to observe this historical event produced by Paul Casey Productions, Las Vegas, Nevada.

Lets check up on the NBC blogs, as got a couple of updates. First over at the Knight Writers blog - Knight and the City writer Matt Pyken talks about the post reboot decision to write about "smaller" stories:

If I told you I set out to write a "typical" KR episode, a lot of you would immediately think this guy isn't much interested in innovation. But fans of the original KR might see it a bit differently. As a group -- the writers, the studio, the network -- all agreed that the original KR formula - one man and one car taking on a bad guy, saving a pretty girl, and making things right was a pretty sweet template for a series. When the "re-boot" was contemplated, I immediately decided, with deliberate intent, to tell small stories. By small I mean that Mike and KITT don't need to save the world every week. By small I mean the stories don't always have to come to the SSC through some quasi-governmental source. By small I mean we see some kick-ass action, unravel a mystery, have a few laughs along the way, and by the end of the episode Mike and KITT make a couple of lives a little better, and straighten out their own karma a little in the process. Conceptually, it's a lot like the original series, so you would think that after defeating KARR, the deaths of Dr. Graiman and Alex Torres, and Carrie's near-miss and retirement, this new template would be a no-brainer.

At Billy's Blog - Billy talks about the hardship he is experiencing while trying to remodel a KITTCave that no one can know about:

That's my favorite line from any Batman movie. We know Bruce Wayne gets his toys from a family fortune. And for a while that was enough for me. As a kid, I assumed that if you had the cash, the rest was just a technicality. Boom. You can be a superhero. But then I got started thinking... Bill Gates has more money than Bruce Wayne. Could his riches really allow him to build a massive Superhero lair under his mansion without ANYONE knowing?

Tonight is the 16th episode of the season Knight and the City. Below is the synopsis for tonight's episode!

NOTHING LIKE A LITTLE ZEN IN YOUR LIFE TO HELP YOU RELAX--Mike (Justin Bruening) decides to visit one of his old haunts, Sonny's bar, during his decompression time. When Mike arrives, he notices that the crowd has changed for the worse. After learning of Sonny's death in a car accident, Mike is pleased to hear that his daughter Julie (Alona Tal) is now running the bar. He offers to lend a hand in order to bring the bar back to its original glory. Meanwhile, Mike gets suspicious when he hears of the recent fires at the bar and discovers that someone has secretly being trying to get Julie to sell the place.

We will be in the chat room as well as the forum discussing tonight's episode - please join us!

After tonight there are only one more un-aired episodes, so be sure to tell everyone you can to watch so that we get a Season 2 - check out our campaign page for more info.

A little over a year ago now, we first spoke with the lovely Deanna Russo. At the time she was still filming what was to be the two hour pilot that aired on February 17, 2008. Since then the character of Sarah Gramien went from being a Professor at Stanford University, to a top secret ass kicking agent, to redeeming the wrongs of her fathers past by heading the rebirth of the Foundation for Law and Government. It takes a talented actress like Deanna to be able to adjust to these constantly changing roles of her character and make it appear as natural as she does.

We were thrilled to catch up with Ms. Russo again on her insight on the series thus far, hopes for the future, and what she's been up to during the hiatus.

Well its been one full year since the first two-hour movie that launched Knight Rider 08. The show has come a long way since then, but for many of us the back-door-pilot still holds a special place in our heart. Youtube film critic MJKnight created an anniversary special to look back at the premiere episode. Check out part one above and part two and three after the jump.

Lets check up on the NBC blogs, as got a couple of updates. First over at the Knight Writers blog - Fly By Knight writer David Andron gives us a peak into this weeks episode:

But then, you have a coffee and bang your head against the wall for a while and talk to your fellow writers and somehow you get an idea: What if a plane went missing? Okay, that's something. And what if Kitt, for the first time since we started the show, takes the initiative and gets Mike up at four in the morning to investigate instead of the other way around? That could be fun. And what if when Mike and Kitt arrive at the spot where the transponder failed, the plane had crashed! Cool. But then what? Okay, maybe the plane crash isn't a real plane crash, maybe it's been faked! But why would anyone fake a plane crash...?

And onwards and onwards until hopefully you've got a story that doesn't suck.

Even on my own blog, I can't win. "Sandwich," based on both your responses and a random survey of people waiting in line with me at the DMV, is funnier than "Boat." But the debate is voided because, well... the commenter who goes by the obviously made up name "Chris" pointed out that "Pudding" is funnier than both of them. Very true.

One favorite fan activity is to create video tributes to the shows, stars and cars that we love. Now you have a chance to have your video seen by the dignitaries themselves. Three finalists will receive an invitation to the VIP party at the Knight Rider Festival in Las Vegas where their video will be shown.

Video submissions must be high energy and 3 to 5 minuets in length. They must be made with high quality footage that is clean of markings and advertising. Knight Rider footage may be used if the audio track is muted. Be original and creative!

Some suggested video topics would be:
A tribute to the stars of the show both living and dead in honor of their work.
A tribute of the cars, the stunts and some of the more spectacular moments.
A tribute to the show, both old or new.
A tribute to Las Vegas highlighting the many times classic or new Knight Rider was filmed in the "entertainment capital of the world"

Looking for something special (that is quick and easy) to send someone you're thinking about on Valentines Day, then look no further than these NBC e-cards. Pretty cool that not only is Knight Rider represented amongst a few NBC series, but at six cards it has more than any other series there.

Access Hollwyood Correspondant / Actress Maria Menouno guest stared last night as the DEA Agent Jessie Renning for the Fly By Knight Episode. This clip about her time on set was shown just before last nights episode aired.

Tonight is the 15th episode of the season Fly By Knight. Below is the synopsis for tonight's episode!

EVERYONE NEEDS A LITTLE HELP--A plane carrying a 10 year-old federal witness has crashed or so it seems. Mike tries to help the DEA Agent Jessie Renning, by informing her that the crash has been faked and that the drug dealer that killed his father has kidnapped the boy. Considering this information for a brief moment, she instead arrests him for hindering her investigation. Meanwhile, Sarah tries to make a deal with the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for autonomy for the SSC's future cases. Running out of time, Mike and KITT need to find the boy before he is forced to tell where the drugs have been hidden and is killed.

We will be in the chat room as well as the forum discussing tonights episode - please join us!

After tonight there are only two more un-aired episodes, so be sure to tell everyone you can to watch so that we get a Season 2 - check out our campaign page for more info.

Over at his blog, Billy is asking for viewers help in trying to find a boy that has been kidnapped - head over there to help him out!

We're trying to find a boy who's been kidnapped.

Click on the picture to the right to be taken to our Surveillance section. Check out the last three files. We're trying to figure out where his abductors are taking him, and we think a clue is in those videos. These videos all come from the same gas station.

In the one marked "Abduction/Shooting," the kid says something to the security camera, but there's no audio. I tried to figure it out myself, but all I got was a recipe for making coconut brownies, and I'm guessing that's not what he's shouting as he's been carried away by a gun wielding man.

Back in August, we were alerted about a music video by a band called The Boy Cruise that shot some scenes for their music video "Don't Hassel the Hoff" with David Hasselhoff and KITT. This video was just released and is pretty hilarious with some crazy scenes by the band and the Hoff Himself. It must be tough living with people jumping out of bushes every day.

With a lot of skill, and a little help from their trusty computers, the visual effects team at MasterKey make things like KITT's nanotechnology and neural network appear to be a reality.
But could KITT's technology ever really exist? Discover Magazine gives us a glimpse at the possibilities.

Knight Rider: Machine Evolution
It must be nice to have a car like KITT that can, amongst his many other handy abilities, transform. Sure it's handy for crime fighting and all, but being able to turn into a van or a truck means Michael Knight never needs to rent a moving truck or worry about delivery when there's a big Ikea sale. But since KITT's ability to rearrange himself at the molecular level means that he can transform himself into any number of car-like shapes, even ones he's never experienced before. And that means that he -- and his deceased creator Dr. Graiman -- has solved the problem of getting an artificial intelligence to use newly added parts. Typically a robot has to have a whole new set of code to be able to handle a new tool or sensor. Sure, most computers can handle plug-and-play attachments these days, but they still require a set of pre-written code to drive the newly added part. Artificial intelligence designers want the robot to be able to design that code itself.

So what did you all think of last nights episode? Felt very Knight Rider, don't you agree? Let us know at our poll or in our discussion thread.

Over at the NBC blogs, we've got a couple of updates. First over at the Knight Writers blog - Fight Knight writer Rob Wright gives us a peak into this weeks episode:

To me, this next episode of KNIGHT RIDER - "FIGHT NIGHT" - is an homage to the original KNIGHT RIDER OF THE '80s. Michael Knight comes to town to help a friend in need. In so doing, he gets into a heap of trouble with local tough guys, a femme fatale... even a Sheriff who just might be hiding a sinister secret. Will Mike save the girl? Who knows! First he and Kitt must work together, fighting and driving, to stop the bad guys before time runs out.

At Billy's Blog - we see the first part of Billy attempting to crime solve:

Your former army drill sergeant is found dead, and the local sheriff claims it's a drug overdose? Don't believe him!! Small town sheriffs are frequently in cahoots with the local underground fight club organizers. Your old army friend was actually murdered by the fight club organizer and the sheriff helped cover it up.

Tonight is the 14th episode of the season Fight Knight with guest stars Tiki Barber (NFL, NBC) and Michael O'hearn (American Gladiators).

Unfortunately the only teaser NBC has released in the last week was this 10 second clip that you see above, which leaves much to the imagination. Fortunately we are here to help you out! Below is the synopsis and after the jump is 4 clips from tonights episode!

DOWN FOR THE COUNT--Mike's old Army friend recruits his help to investigate the suspicious death of a tough-as-nails drill sergeant Jack Burber. Mike learns that the drill sergeant was participating in an underground fight club for military veterans for extra money. In order to find out what really happened, Mike has to infiltrate the fight club and try not to get himself killed in the ring.

After tonight there are only three more un-aired episodes, so be sure to tell everyone you can to watch so that we get a season 2 - check out our campaign page for more info.

We are counting down (43 days!) to the Knight Rider Festival in Las Vegas. The event that takes place March 20-21st at the Fremont Street Experience and will unite many worlds of Knight Rider in a way never done before.

Watch the above teaser video to get a sampling of what you'll be experiencing in Las Vegas! Watch as Don Peake and George Barris meet for the very first time and get a sneak peak at some of the exiting things in store!

Through Knight Rider, the message of helping those without help was always paramount. While the Knight Rider Festival first goal is to celebrate the fans and replica owners who have kept the support alive over the years, it is also to band together to help make a difference. Donations will be welcomed at this free event to help make a difference for kids who need assistance via the Children's Miracle Network.

Stay tuned to Knight Rider Online as we ramp up our coverage for the festival as guests and schedules get announced.

Check out this ratings chart! Knight Rider had a 22% increase in viewership week over week and had it's highest numbers in eight episodes! The quality of these past four episodes have lead up to a great direction for the series, and we can't wait for the final four episodes of the season. Fans and followers will realize that when Angela Bromstad returned to NBC to be the President of Primetime for NBC, that the quality of the series returned to a good state as well. (be sure to mail her a letter in support of KR!)

This only goes to show that when given a chance, Gary Scott Thompson (who wrote and directed this episode) and the rest of the Cast/Crew can really shine. But we need to keep telling people to tune in and this weeks episode Fight Knight is no different. Lets try to keep those numbers up!

Over at NBC the Knight Rider blogs were updated again this week with information about the latest episode "Exit Light, Enter Knight" which was the first episode of the reboot and saw Michael get caught up in a bank robbery.

On the Knight Writer's blog, writer Eric Buchman offers a behind the scenes look at the episode and how things have changed from when it was shot. Originally slated to be the 17th episode of the season, the schedule was adjusted when Knight Rider's season was reduced. He speculates that this probably helped the episode, because after just killing off three main characters, the danger to Mike felt real.

At Billy's blog he talks about the troubles of redecorating. New Couches, Foosball Tables, Liquid Nitrogen and a Fireman's Pole is instore for the renovated KITTCave.

When thousands of Knight Rider fans descend upon Las Vegas this March, the opportunity to make a difference in peoples lives is too hard to ignore. Since the event itself is free, donations will be accepted on behalf of the Children's Miracle Network.

Together with the Knight Rider Festival, we here at Knight Rider Online will be spearheading a community wide effort to pool donations for this cause. Our goal will be to present to the Children's Miracle Network with a check containing the efforts of our members at the VIP party at the Knight Rider Festival. This will take place in front of countless distinguished guests and fans.

The Children's Miracle Network (CMN) is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for Children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1983 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. To date, the Children's Miracle Network claims to have raised over US$3.2 billion which is distributed directly to a network of 170 hospitals. [source]

Please click on the graphic at the top or this link to reach our donation page. If one person alone can make a difference, imagine the possibility if we all got together to do something great.